At Maple Park for Fireworks

Joris Soeding

Some fireworks poetry and reflections for national celebrations.

we are the first to arrive
set up chairs, blankets, dinner, and rid of shoes
dusk with the crossing bell
white sparks from the rail
a bat between the clearing
and trees that separate the park from a lot
trail of cars for a spot on the beach
quiet next to us
you and kids to the playground
laughing on a roped wheel that swings
an elder couple asks if we could witness
the sparkles from here
husband’s radio plays game six between Milwaukee and Atlanta
brothers and sisters launch lights with propellers
minutes until 9:30, the first explosion
you have noticed the bat
we have missed this in the summer
in the grass, waiting

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Joris Soeding

+ postsBio

Joris Soeding’s most recent collections of poetry are Forty (Rinky Dink Press, 2019) and Home in Nine Moons (Clare Songbirds Publishing House, 2018). His writing has appeared in publications such as Another Chicago Magazine, Columbia Poetry Review, Red River Review, and Spillway. He is a fifth-grade Language Arts teacher in Chicago, where he resides with his wife, son, daughter, and kittens.

You may find Joris on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

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